Ultimate XMen: DEADLY NEW WORLD
by Dino Pollard
Summary: An international mutant terrorist who calls himself Magneto is wreaking havoc across the world. In order to stop him, the U.S. government has formed a special task force headed by Charles Xavier and Special Agent Logan of SHIELD. This task force is called
1. Part I: Alliance

* * *

Issue #1 

"DEADLY NEW WORLD"  
Part I: Alliance 

_by Dino Pollard_

* * *

  


**Washington, DC**

{{LAND OF THE FREE AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE MY ASS!! THIS COUNTRY CARES NOTHING FOR OUR KIND!! YOU THINK YOU LIVE IN A DEMOCRACY? YOU THINK WRONG!! WE'RE NOT FREE, WE'RE NOT EQUAL!! THE HUMANS WOULD SOONER KILL US THAN MAKE AMENDS WITH US!! THIS IS NOT THE LAND OF TOLERANCE!! THIS IS NOT THE LAND OF FREEDOM!! THIS IS NOT THE LAND OF EQUALITY!! THIS IS THE LAND OF HATRED, OF BIGOTRY!! THIS IS NOT THE LAND FOR MUTANTS!! IF WE WANT ACCEPTANCE,WE MUST TAKE IT!! THE HUMANS CANNOT CONTINUE TO OPPRESS US LIKE THIS!! WE MUST RISE UP TO MAKE THIS A BETTER PLACE FOR OUR KIND!! TO MAKE IT A BETTER PLACE FOR MUTANTS!! }} 

"The man sure knows how to make a speech…" 

"Look at how he has them eating out of his hand…" 

"This situation has gotten bad, sir. Your predecessor took a neutral stance on the mutant issue, but that's when it could be contained. Now though, it threatens to erupt." 

"I know…" 

"We should continue with Project Wideawake." 

"Are you insane, Gyrich?! You can't unleash those… things on American citizens!!" 

"Val's right, Petey. The Sentinels are too much for this operation." 

"Do you have any suggestions, Colonel Fury?" 

Nick Fury took a drag on the cigar, looking out the window of the Oval Office. His eyes went back down to George W. Bush, the current President. 

"Registration seems to be a popular idea…" Fury stated. 

"I would strongly advise you against that course of action, Mr. President." 

"WHO THE HELL LET HIM IN HERE?!" 

"Calm down, Henry," Bush stated, standing from his desk. "I requested his presence.Thank you for coming all the way down from New York, Professor Xavier." 

The bald man walked over to the President and shook his hand. 

"It's no trouble at all," Xavier replied. 

"Allow me to introduce you to Colonel Nick Fury, Director of SHIELD. Dr. Valerie Cooper, mutant liason. And Henry Peter Gyrich, the head of the NSA." 

"This is a mistake, sir…" Gyrich began. 

"I'll be the judge of that, Henry," Bush broke in. "Everyone, please have a seat." 

The four people all took their seats and looked at Bush. 

"I've heard much about you, Professor," Bush began. "A well-known mutant rights activist. You've been in the public eye for some time now. And you even served the country during Desert Storm. The reason I called you here is because you might be the best person to speak with about the so-called mutant crisis." 

"Basically, is there any way you can shut up assholes like this Cortez character?" Fury asked. 

"I'm afraid it's not that simple, Colonel," Xavier replied. "Something like this will take some time." 

"Time is a luxury we don't have," Fury began. "It turns out that there's a mutant terrorist who's been causing some trouble overseas. We've thought about dispatching SHIELD, but he's able to cut down our operations before we can even begin." 

He turned on a monitor which brought up an image from a foreign news broadcast. While Xavier didn't understand the language, he was able to discern what was happening. 

Soldiers were attacking someone, and their weapons were being turned against them. Metal flew everywhere, street lamps and shrapnel impaling soldiers. There was a single image of a man in a leather costume with a purple-tinted cape and helmet. Xavier's blood ran cold as he watched. He recognized the man responsible for this. 

Fury then turned off the monitor. 

"That was a live broadcast from China," he stated. "The guy calls himself Magneto, an' I can see why." 

"Magneto is our immediate threat," Bush said. "He's our main priority right now." 

"The best thing I can think of is a mutant strike force," Xavier stated. "If I'm able to secure the funds, I'll be able to assemble a group of mutants who, after proper training, can assist us against Magneto." 

"Who would these mutants be?" Bush asked with interest. 

"Young men and women who are just learning to cope with their powers," Xavier replied."They would be the best choice. I could train them in the use of their powers so that they could stop not only Magneto, but other threats that may arise. This would also hope to prove to the public that mutants aren't bad." 

"That's not a half-bad idea, sir," Val stated. "As far as mutant/human relations goes, it can really help. I think you should really consider this." 

"An' it doesn't seem that SHIELD will have a lot of luck against him, judging from these tapes…" Fury muttered. "But, I do have one stipulation." 

"At least I'm not the only one…" Gyrich muttered. 

"What would that be, Colonel?" Xavier asked. 

"I want one'a my people t' help you out," Fury replied. "He's a mutant, probably the best soldier on the globe. He can be a bit… tempermental, but who isn't?" 

"We need all the help we can get," Xavier said. "Any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated, Colonel." 

"I can't believe I'm the only one against this!!" Gyrich exclaimed. "This is too much of a risk! Mutants working for the government? How do we know that they won't turn on us and JOIN Magneto? The Sentinels on the other hand, CAN be controlled." 

"Mutants aren't mindless, Mr. Gyrich," Xavier stated. "Just because one mutant wants to wage war on mankind doesn't mean we'll all rally behind him. We do have minds of our own." 

* * *

**Los Angeles, California**

"C'mon O, don't hog it all!!" 

The young, black woman took a drag on the small joint before passing it on to her friend. She took a deep drag and handed it to another person. 

"Oh man… that's nice…" 

"Here," O stated, grabbing it. "Lemme show you how it's done…" 

"Hah, like YOU could show me anything!!" 

O grinned before taking another long, smooth drag. 

"Damn girl!" 

"Haha!" O stated. "What'd I tell you, Jess?" 

She looked around at the people at the party. Most were either smoking pot or drinking, some were dancing a bit to the music, and others couldn't keep their hands off each other. She lost count of the number of people she saw going to bedrooms, basements, hell, even bathrooms. That kind of stuff was common at a rave. 

Without warning, the doors suddenly burst open, and cops came pouring in. 

"EVERYBODY FREEZE!! YOU'RE ALL UNDER ARREST!!" 

They began apprehending everyone. Some people tried to run, only to be stopped short in their tracks. When they approached O, she simply stared at them with ice-blue eyes. 

"Hands above your head, move it!!" 

O lifted her hands, and aimed them right at the cops. Before they could cuff her, a sudden wind generated from those two hands, throwing them backwards. She hovered in the air, her white hair standing on end, charged with electricity as lightning bolts flew from her fingertips. 

"WHAT IN THE CRAP?!" 

"SHE'S A MUTIE, SOMEONE STOP HER!!" 

"O…?!" 

A small-scale hurricane erupted in the room, assaulting all of the cops, and some bystanders as well. O didn't care, she had to get away. 

Her winds began to carry her upwards, attempting to vacate the empty warehouse. 

That is, they would have had a recovered officer not opened fire on her. 

The bullet whizzed through, striking her in the back. She cried out in pain as she began to plummet. 

Her eyes weakly opened and she saw herself staring down the barrels of several guns. Then, she passed out. 

* * *

**Washington, DC**

"Colonel Fury…" Xavier stated, once the SHIELD Director entered. 

"I'd like to introduce you to yer first recruit, Xavier," Fury replied. 

A man entered. He appeared to be in his 20s or 30s, and he had an odd hairstyle. A cigar dangled from his lips, and he was dressed in a uniform comprised of black leather, with several Xs on it. 

"Professor Charles Xavier, meet Special Agent Logan," Fury stated. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Agent Logan," Xavier said. "Colonel Fury has told me much about you and your abilities." 

"I gotta tell ya this, then, Chuck," Logan replied. "You ain't seen nothin' yet. An' th' name's just Logan." 

"Very well, Logan," Xavier said. "Welcome to the X-Men." 

* * *

**Los Angeles, California**

"Ororo Munroe, eh?" the cop standing above her asked. "Eighteen years old. Tell me, Ms. Munroe, what were you doing at that rave?" 

"Asking for directions," Ororo snapped. 

"And what about that little display? What did you think you were doing?" 

"Surviving." 

"All right, Miss Smart-Ass…" he stated. "I'm not gonna play around with you,understand? Not only were you using illegal drugs, you also endangered the lives of yourself and others, including policemen." 

"They shot me in the fucking back!!" Ororo snapped. "What the hell did you expect me to do?" 

"That officer only shot you AFTER you decided to play weather witch. He had no choice but to use lethal force." 

"So what're you gonna do, now?" she asked. 

"Once you get out of the hospital, you're going to be prosecuted. You'll be kept in a cell at the prescient until your trial. Unless someone posts your bail, of course. Now, I can help you out, here…" 

"I know my rights, asshole," Ororo spat. "And you can't question me without my lawyer here…" 

"Fine then…" the cop stated, grabbing the phone by her bedside. He handed it to her. "Go ahead and call your lawyer." 

Ororo hesitated for a few seconds before dialing. 

* * *

{{ Earlier today, President Bush stated that he will do all he can to help contain the mutant terrorist who has been ravaging Eastern countries, the most-recent being China. }} 

{{ "America has never tolerated terrorism in the past, and I'm not about to start now. This Magneto will be dealt with, if necessary, severely. Many people have already lost their lives because of him, and I won't allow him to spill any American blood." }} 

The monitor imploded, metal fragments flying everywhere. 

"Tell me, Mr. President," the man stated. "Do you truly believe you can stop me? Especially when your head is the one on the block?" 


	2. Part II: Exposure

* * *

Issue #2 

"DEADLY NEW WORLD"  
Part II: Exposure 

_by Dino Pollard_

* * *

  


**Los Angeles, California. **

A man walked through the corridors of the hospital, dressed in a clean-cut suit, a briefcase in one hand, and sunglasses covering his eyes. His hair was slicked back, and spiked a bit. The other hand was inside his pocket. 

When he found the correct room, he entered to find a cop waiting for him. 

"Are you Munroe's attorney?" 

"If I'm not, then why am I cashing his checks?" the man laughed, extending his hand. "Mark Wahl." 

The cop just looked down at the hand, but made no move to shake it. 

"I'm Lieutenant Ryan Hunt," the cop replied. "Your client is waiting inside the room." 

Wahl entered the roomand looked at the black woman with long, white hair lying on the hospital bed, looking at him. Her blue eyes grew wide with joy. 

"You got yourself into trouble again, 'Ro?" Mark asked. 

"Trouble found me," Ororo replied. Mark nodded and turned to face Hunt. 

"Well, now we can begin with the ques-" 

"I would advise against that Lieutenant," Mark stated. "My client is still under stressful conditions. You wouldn't want her to sue the department for emotional distress, would you?" 

Hunt looked at Ororo, who had a smug grin on her face. 

"We'll talk once you're out of here..." 

Once he exited, Mark turned to Ororo. 

"How'd I do, chere?" 

"You were INCREDIBLE, Remy!!" Ororo exclaimed, throwing her arms around his neck. "You were even able to disguise your accent!!" 

"Conning people-it's a talent," Remy replied. "So, when can we get de hell outta here?" 

Ororo smiled. 

"Why do you think I called you?" 

He grinned and turned his head to look at the security camera. He picked up a pea off of Ororo's discarded food, and it began to glow slightly. 

"Dis the crap they've been feeding you?" he asked. 

He then threw it at the camera, causing the lens to explode. Then, he removed his sunglasses, revealing his black eyes with red pupils. 

"Let's get movin'," he stated, opening the window and stepping out. Ororo followed him. 

* * *

**Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. **

"You sure this is the place, Chuck?" 

"Cerebro seems to think so, Logan," Xavier replied, tapping the helmet. "Here's where we'll find one of our next candidates-hopefully." 

"So... where is he?" 

"Inside the stadium," Xavier replied. "I'm using the Cerebro system inside the van to try and pinpoint the exact location." 

Logan turned to face Charles in the back of the van, which had some sophisticated equipment installed in it-courtesy of SHIELD. A helmet with wires connected to it rested on his head. Logan looked at the laptop monitor, which ran through a series of codes and brainwave patterns. Xavier then began to strike keys on the laptop. 

"I found her," he stated, sliding the helmet off. "She's on the stage, so it won't be too difficult to locate her." 

"Might be a bit tough gettin' t' her, though," Logan said. 

"How so?" Xavier asked. 

"Check out the poster on the front of the stadium wall." 

Xavier looked out the window and saw it. It had an image of a young, seventeen year-old girl with long, blonde hair. Above her were the words, "Pop Sensation Alison Blaire-LIVE!!" 

"Just great," Logan grumbled, dropping his cigar out the window. "One of our candidates is a pop-star." 

Xavier sighed, and looked at the screen again. 

"I'll see about pinpointing some other mutants..." he stated. 

"Why'd you pick her anyway?" 

"I'm searching for Alpha-level mutants," Xavier said. "Alpha-level would be useful against Magneto. Ms. Blaire is one of those mutants." 

Logan sat there for a few minutes, just listening to the hum of machinery and the clatter of keys as Xavier struck them. He then opened the door and stepped out of the van. 

"Logan...?" Xavier asked telepathically. 

"Just goin' f'r a walk, Chuck," Logan replied. 

A walk to the back entrance, where a black stretch limo was waiting. There was a security guard blocking the door. 

"I can't let you in, sir," he stated, putting a hand up. "You'll have to go around to the front." 

Logan reached into his bomber jacket and pulled out a small wallet. He opened it up and showed it to the guard. 

"The name's Special Agent Logan," he said. "I'm here on official SHIELD business, bub. Now let me through." 

"I apologize, sir," the guard said, opening the door. 

"No harm, no foul," Logan said as he brushed past. Once the door closed, the guard switched on his comm-link. 

"It's me," he said. "Some guy who claims to be with SHIELD just came in. Yeah, he had clearance. Well, I'm just trying to figure out why the hell SHIELD would be interested in a teeny-bopper concert. Yeah, I'll tell the others to keep an eye on him. Don't worry, if he goes anywhere near Blaire, we'll be sure to exterminate." 

* * *

**Los Angeles, California. **

Ororo generated a wind pocket beneath her and Remy, and gently lowered them to the ground. 

"You gotta be more careful," Remy warned. "Tonight we got lucky. Y' gotta keep a low profile, that's one of the first things I taught you." 

"I didn't have much of a choice, Remy," Ororo defended. "It was a raid, there's no way I could've gotten out." 

"And if you just let the cops arrest you, dey wouldn't know you're a mutant, an' you wouldn't have gotten charged with resisting arrest as well as endangering the lives of others." 

"So I screwed up, it's not the end of the world..." she muttered. Remy brushed past her to a parked car, and slid in the driver's side as she got in the passenger seat. He reached inside his coat and pulled out a small metal object of some sort. He inserted it into the ignition and turned it, starting the car. 

"Let me guess... you boosted it." 

Remy grinned and pressed a button on the armrest which lowered the car's top. 

"De only way t' drive, chere." 

He shifted into drive and accelerated. 

* * *

**Tampa, Florida. **

The young, light-skinned black woman stepped out of the pool, water dripping down her body, covered with a simple, one-piece bathing suit. She grabbed a towel from the railing and ran it over her long, black hair and quickly down her body before placing it on the edge of a lounge chair. She lay down on it, resting a pair of sunglasses over her eyes. Unbeknowest to her were two young men, standing on the pool deck and looking at her. 

"Daaaaaaaamn!!!" 

"Tell me about it, dude." 

"It's gotta be illegal to look that hot..." 

"I'm gonna do it." 

"Yeah, if you want a death wish." 

"Whaddaya mean?" 

"You see how hot she is?" 

"Yeah..." 

"Well, rumor has it she's much more conceited than that." 

"We sound like a perfect match then..." 

"Mike..." 

Mike just walked away, towards the young woman. 

"Mike..." 

Mike ignored him. 

"Mike!" 

Mike stepped up to the young woman, his shadow casting over her face. 

"Hey." 

She lowered her sunglasses and looked at him. 

"I'm Mike," he began. "I noticed that you were sitting here all alone, and I was wondering if you wanted some company, or maybe if you were interested in going out for coffee or something." 

She continued to stare at him before speaking up. 

"I'm Monet." 

"Nice to meet you, Monet..." he began. "So... you interested?" 

"Actually..." she stated, sliding her sunglasses back over her eyes and lying down. "You're in my light." 

* * *

**Allstate Arena. **

"ALI! ALI! ALI! ALI!" 

The stadium lights turned down, and a burst of light appeared on center-stage. A shapely young girl with long, blonde hair dressed in tight clothing appeared, the light surrounding her as well as her back-up dancers. The music started up, and Alison Blaire began one of the many memorable performances which have made her career. 

Logan stood in a corner, arms folded across his chest, watching the entire show. The girl certainly knew how to perform, that much he could tell. He wasn't particularly fond of the music, though, his preference was rock. Still, kids these days seemed to like it, and Alison had them eating out of her hand as she began singing during the dance routine. 

By the looks of it, he would have to wait until the show was finished before he could talk with her. He looked down at his watch and muttered a curse under his breath. 

"Great... two hours of this shit..." 

He leaned against the wall and folded his arms. 

* * *

**Elsewhere in the Arena. **

** *BREEP* **

** *BREEP* **

"Hey, turn off the damn pager!" 

The young man stood, moving to the corridor and reached inside his jacket. He pulled out a small device, similar to a cell-phone, which was the source of the beeping. He placed a hand to his ear. 

"Shiner to all units. Scanner confirms our suspicions--Blaire's definately a mutant." 

{{ Good work, Shiner. Hold your position. Jackson, Cruz, Barta, Ryan move in on my mark. }} 

{{ Yes sir. }} 

A few minutes passed. The members of the M-Squad waited patiently, grasping their weapons. 

{{ Go! }} 

* * *

_"Logan, what are you doing inside?" _

_"Making sure this wasn't a complete waste o' time, Chuck." _

_"There's some interference with Cerebro." _

_"What's that mean?" _

_"It can only be caused by a similar type of scanner. In other words, we're not the only ones looking for Alison." _

_"I'm movin' in, then." _

_"Logan, don't risk it!" _

_"I was trudging through the swamps of Saigon when you were still in diapers, Chuck. I know what I'm doing." _

Before Logan moved closer, he heard a click. 

***sniff* **

He could smell hatred. Gunpowder. He slowly turned to see a man aiming a pistol at him. 

"I don't think so, freak. That mutie's ours." 

Logan's eyes drifted back to the stage. 

"Hands over your head now or you'll be spittin' gum through your forehead." 

Logan grinned. 

"Go ahead..." he challenged. "See if you can nail me right between the eyes." 

"My pleasure." 

***PFFT* **

The gun was silenced, perfect for an assassination. These guys knew what they were doing. 

Logan went down, his head hitting the floor. Blood began to seep from the wound. 

"Lousy muties..." Barta muttered, holstering his gun. 

"Hey kid..." 

Barta stopped in his tracks and turned to see Logan standing in front of him, the bullet wound closing up. 

"Y' lose something?" Logan asked, tossing something at Barta. It was the bullet--smashed. 

Logan punched him in the stomach, but the fist stayed there for a few seconds. Then, Barta felt something sharp. 

***SNIKT* **

Three foot-long claws shot out from Logan's hand into Barta's stomach, piercing his back. Barta's shirt quickly became stained red. Logan drew his hand out, the three claws dripping with blood. 

* * *

**Onstage. **

There seemed to be some sort of commotion on the floor. Alison was told in an emergency to run backstage where her bodyguards were waiting. She was about to put that plan into action before something struck the ground beside her. 

"Huh...?" she asked, examining it. It was metal, and it had a flicking green light on it. The light stopped flicking and stayed a solid green, and some sort of energy net shot out from it, trapping the young singer. 

"AHH!!" she cried out. She tried to grab the net itself but received only a shock. The sound in the room grew increasingly louder, and she felt herself building up. 

Finally, her body exploded with brightly-colored light, disintegrating the device. This caused the energy net to slowly vanish. 

The audience watched on in horror at this. The revelation that one of the world's biggest pop-stars was a mutant. 

Alison looked out at her once-adoring public, their faces overcome with shock. 

"No..." she muttered, tears streaming down her face. "NO!!" 

She turned to run offstage. Her agent would be able to fix this, she knew he could. 

But Jackson, Cruz, and Ryan had other ideas as they emerged from their respective hiding places. 

"Stay right where you are, mutant!" Jackson ordered, holding up a gun. 

"Who are you people?!" Alison demanded. 

"You can call us the M-Squad," Cruz stated, taking aim with his own weapon. "And you're our first target." 

"Not if I can help it, bub..." 

Logan appeared behind Alison, metal claws extended, the light shining off them. He leapt over her, his claws slicing Jackson's gun as his feet knocked Ryan's to the side. He grabbed Cruz's and smashed it over Jackson's head. Ryan and Cruz both attempted to rush him, but were met with the same fate that Barta suffered. 

"C'mon girlie," Logan ordered, grabbing Alison's arm. "We gotta run." 

* * *

**The balcony. **

Shiner put a hand to his ear once more. 

"Target remains, sir. Ryan, Cruz, and Barta are definately KIA. Jackson seems to just be injured." 

{{ Where is the target now? }} 

"They've got her..." 

{{ Good. }} 

"Excuse me?" 

{{ This event is going to become a media circus. The world will see mutants for what they really are. In the meantime, I want you to report back to base, Shiner. }} 

"Yes sir," Shiner stated, exiting. 

* * *

**A SHIELD safehouse sometime later. **

"...I don't believe this..." Alison muttered. "I never thought this would happen." 

"I'm guessin' you've know for awhile," Logan said, lighing a cigar. Alison nodded. 

"My powers first emerged when I was 13," she said. "I was able to cover them up, but once I started performing, the sound made me use them. I don't know why, though." 

"It's because you can convert sound into light," Charles noted. 

"Huh... that explains a whole helluva lot then..." Alison stated. 

"Who else knew about it?" Charles asked. 

"My agent, he knew," Alison replied. "In fact, it was his idea to use the powers for a gimick. That way, I wouldn't have to worry about slipping up during a show, because we could just pass it off as a light effect. But now... now everyone knows I'm a freak... and it's gonna be all over the place tomorrow... my career... my dreams... they're all gone now... just because I was born different..." 

She hugged herself and looked down at the floor, biting her lower lip, trying to force back the tears. 

"It's not over for you, Ali," Charles said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "That's why we came for you. I want to help you learn to control your powers, so you can use them to make this world a better place for mutants." 

"You can help me?" 

Ali looked up at him, her face a mixture of hope and confusion. Charles smiled warmly at her. 

"I can try." 

* * *

**Somewhere outside of LA. **

The Mustang convertible came to a stop at a train station. 

"Hold out your hand," Remy stated. 

Ororo did as she was told. Remy reached into his pocket and placed a wad of cash in her palm. 

"Remy..." 

"Just t' help you get back on your feet," he said with his trademark grin. 

"Why can't I just stay with you?" 

"C'mon, y'know I can't let y' do that. I taught you everything you'll need t' know about being a thief, an' it's time for you to go along without this ol' swamp rat. I've gotta stay here, but the cops are looking for you. You'll be better off on your own. Trust me, you'll do fine, chere." 

Ororo put the cash in a small handbag. She then moved in close to Remy and the two shared a passionate, goodbye kiss. Then, she left the car, running to the ticket office. 

Remy watched her until she boarded the train, and then sped off. 

* * *

**30 Minutes Later. **

Ororo looked out the window of her cabin, restlessly trying to get some sleep. She reached into her handbag to see how much Remy had left her. When she pulled it out, she also noticed something else lying at the bottom. She pulled it out. 

It was a cell-phone with a note attached to it. 

_'Ro, _

_ Just in case you ever need to get in touch with me, my number's in the memory. _

_ -Remy _

She grinned and sat back in her seat. Maybe New York wouldn't be all that bad...****


	3. Part III: The Sound of Thunder

* * *

Issue #3 

"DEADLY NEW WORLD"  
Part III: The Sound of Thunder 

_by Dino Pollard_

* * *

  


**Phoenix, Arizona.**

{{ Down in the fourth!! The Paradise Valley Trojans need one more touchdown to take down the Pima Roughriders!! And it looks like the Trojans are about to send in senior John Proudstar, Paradise Valley's star player. Freshman year, he was promoted from the freshman team onto varsity due to his amazing ability. Basically, Proudstar's a pretty big guy, and fast to boot. Anyone who goes up against this thunderbird ends up eating his dust. }} 

John ran onto the football field, pulling on his helmet as he did. A member of the Roughriders noticed the tattoo on his right arm of a red bird. 

"Nice artwork, pal," he said. "What's it mean?" 

John simply grinned. 

"It means I'm gonna kick your ass from here to Tuscon." 

The Roughrider's grin turned into a frown. 

"You're dead, buffalo, y' hear me?" 

"Promises, promises..." John replied, then looked down at his fellow teammate, ready to snap him the ball. "HIKE!!" 

His teammate snapped the ball into his hands, and John backed up, looking for an opening. The Roughrider who he was talking to before began to charge him. 

"They never learn..." John muttered. He tucked the ball under his arm and ran right into his opponent, knocking the kid over on his back. John continued to run down the field at fast speeds, slamming past anyone who got in his way. The goal was there, and this was why the coach had kept him out until he was really needed. He looked behind him to see the Roughriders trying to gain on him, but with no luck. The clock was cycling down, and he picked up speed. Once he entered the zone, he stopped and slammed the ball down. 

{{ TOUCHDOWN FOR PARADISE VALLEY, AND THE TROJANS TAKE THE GAME!! }} 

John pulled off his helmet as his teammates ran up to him, hefting him up. He noticed the Roughrider he had insulted with his helmet off, glaring at him.

* * *

Later. 

John laced up his shoes when a kid around 15 walked into the locker room. 

"Knock knock," he stated. 

"Hey Jimmy," John said, standing up to greet his younger brother. 

"Congrats on the win, dude," James Proudster stated. 

"Thanks kid," John replied. "So, where're mom an' dad?" 

"They already went home, I told 'em I'd go home with you." 

"Damn kid..." John muttered. "You're gonna cramp my style..." 

"That's what I'm here for." 

John fished around his pocket and pulled out his keys as the two Proudstars walked to a black, Ford Explorer. 

"Well, well, well... if it ain't the thunderbird." 

John stopped and turned around to see five of the Roughriders standing there. 

"That's what they called you, isn't it?" one of them asked. He was the same one that John insulted. 

John handed the keys to his brother. 

"Jimmy, go wait in the car." 

"What's going on?" Jim asked. 

"Just go wait in the car, Jim," John replied. Jim looked up at him. John NEVER called him Jim, that meant something was up. He took the keys and ran to the car. 

"Smart move, thunderbird. Don't worry, we won't hurt the kid." 

"You don't wanna do this, pal." 

"An' why's that?" the Roughrider asked. "Oh wait, that's right. Because you're gonna kick my ass from here to Tuscon, right? Well, you better get started, because my grandparents live there, and I was hoping to drop by tonight." 

"Hope they've got a first aid kit handy," John replied. 

"No man can run that fast and hit that hard," the Roughrider stated. "You're one of them, aren't you? You're one of those genejokes--one of those goddamn freaks. People like you shouldn't be allowed to live in the same place as decent human beings. You should be kept in a lab and studied. Or be put in a zoo." 

"You ruined our undefeated season, asshole. And if you weren't some freak of nature, we'd still be at the top. So, we're gonna take you out." 

"All right, boys..." John muttered. "If you want it t' go down that way, I'm game." 

John launched the opening salvo by accelerating, his elbow striking one of the Roughriders' faces. His foot slammed into another's chest, causing ribs to break. 

"What the fuck...?!" 

"Kill him!! Rip his goddamn mutie head off!!" 

John silenced those two by slamming their heads together. He turned to face the leader of the group. The same Roughrider whom he faced up against during the game. He cracked his knuckles and advanced on him. 

"You still wanna wrangle?" 

"Dude, you are fucking nuts!!" 

John accelerated once more, grabbing him the hair and twisting him so they were face to face. 

"Damn straight!!" 

He slammed the guy down on the pavement. When the teenager got up, John slammed him back down. He did this a second time. But after John slammed him down once more, he didn't get back up. 

Sirens were in the distance. Cops surrounded the area. 

"FREEZE!!" 

John lifted his arms up. 

"What the hell happened here?" the cop asked. 

"These pricks attacked me," John replied. "I was able to defend myself. My kid brother saw the whole thing." 

John pointed to the Explorer, which was now empty. Jim came running up to him. 

"Hey Smith," the cop's partner stated. 

"What is it, Michaels?" 

"This kid's dead." 

John looked at the dead kid Michaels referred to. It was the same Roughrider. 

"He's dead?!" John exclaimed. "I--I didn't mean to kill him... it was an accident... he just provoked me and..." 

Smith checked the boy for a pulse, then walked back to John, pulling out a pair of handcuffs. 

"Put your hands on top of the car," Smith ordered, searching him. He found John's wallet and checked his license before handing it to Jimmy. He then pulled down John's hands and cuffed them behind his back. "John Proudstar, you're under arrest for accidental manslaughter. You have the right to remain silent. Should you choose to waive that right, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to have an attorney present during questioning. If you do not have an attorney, one will be provided for you." 

John tuned out the cop, instead looking at the dead body with horror in his eyes.

* * *

**Tampa, Florida.**

Professor Xavier looked out the window of the hotel room. 

"It's really good to see you again, Charles." 

"Likewise, Louis," Charles stated, accepting a glass of wine offered by Louis St. Croix. "How's the business going?" 

"St. Croix Enterprises have been making out," Louis stated. "It can be a bit difficult when I've gotta compete with Osborn and Stark. What about you? Are you still teaching at the University of Chicago?" 

"No, I've actually moved back into my father's mansion in Westchester," Charles stated. "My dream is to convert it into a school." 

"The Xavier Academy, eh?" 

"Something like that," Charles replied. "But right now, I'm doing some work for the government." 

"Mmm... sounds interesting. What branch?" 

"I'm actually working directly with the President," Charles replied. "And I have a close working relationship with SHIELD. In fact, I'm working in conjunction with them on a new project." 

"What would this project be?" 

"You've heard of the terrorist attacks overseas caused by Magneto, correct?" Charles asked. Louis nodded. "Well, the purpose of Project: X-Men is to assemble a team of mutants to stop Magneto." 

Louis put down his glass. 

"So that's why you're here, is it?" he asked. "For a recruitment drive..." 

"It's not like that at all, Lou..." Charles replied. "But, you must admit, Monet is very powerful. I came to talk to her about it. The entire thing is her decision." 

Louis walked out onto the balcony and looked down. He got a perfect view of the pool, and he noticed his daughter, Monet St. Croix, sunbathing. He sighed and turned to face Charles once more. 

"I trust you, Charles..." he stated. "If you were anyone else, I'd kick you out right now. But, I trust you. And I know that if you say this could be good for Monet's future... then I'm willing to allow you speak to her about it." 

"Thank you, Lo--" 

"But there's one condition!" Louis interrupted. "Don't force her to do it. If she says no, you just leave it at that, understood?" 

Charles nodded.

* * *

**Phoenix, Arizona.**

*SNAPT* 

"JOHN!!!" Jim shouted, as his older brother snapped the cuffs with his bare hands. 

Smith and Michaels just stared in awe at the scene. John looked down at the cuffs, then at his would-be captors. 

"Did I do that?" 

"We'll have to add resisting arrest to that list," Smith stated as Michaels reached for his gun. John saw this and began to run. 

"GET BACK HERE!!" Michaels ordered, firing after him. 

"HOLD YOUR FIRE, DAMMIT!!" Smith exclaimed. "HE'S JUST A KID!!" 

"A kid who just killed someone!!" Michaels spat. "And you let him get away!" 

"JOHN!!!!!!!!" Jim shouted after his brother, who was already outrunning several cars on the road.

* * *

John knew he shouldn't be doing this. He broke the cuffs on accident. It wasn't meant as an act of aggression, he just didn't know his own strength. 

Now, he was on the run. He couldn't go back home, the cops would be waiting for him. He was a runaway now, a fugitive. And he could kiss those scholarships goodbye. 

His speed quickened, reaching his limit. Still, he pushed himself. That was, until something blinded him. 

He stopped suddenly in his tracks looking up. A blonde girl dressed in a leather outfit with Xs on it stood before him, her hands glowing brightly. 

"ALISON BLAIRE?!" he exclaimed, instantly recognizing the former pop star. "So... it's true... you ARE a mutant!!" 

Alison said nothing, just stood there. 

"That's right, bub," a gruff voice stated from behind him. John turned to see a man with an odd hairstyle and a goatee. A cigar dangled from his lips, and he was dressed in a similar leather outfit, but he wore a bomber jacket over it. "An' so're you, John." 

"What the hell is going on?" John asked. "How do you know my name?" 

"Name's Logan," he replied, extending a gloved hand. "You've already met Ali." 

John looked at Ali, who simply smiled. He then looked back at Logan. 

"What do you want with me?" 

"Accidental manslaughter and resisting arrest," Logan began. "That doesn't sound too pretty. A Presidential pardon can change that, though." 

"Yeah, right," John said. "And monkeys can fly outta my ass." 

Logan glared at him, and John's eyes widened. 

"You're... serious?" 

Logan motioned to a helicopter which hovered in the air and began to lower. 

"Let's talk."

* * *

**  
Long Beach, California.**

Specifically, the room of one, 17 year-old boy. Red-tinted sunglasses sat perched on his nose, long black hair pulled into a ponytail. His eyes ran over the data displayed on the computer screen. 

"Hmm...." he muttered under his breath. "An interesting move... but not one I can't counteract." 

He used the computer's mouse, dragging an object. 

"Checkmate," he stated with a grin upon his large face. His opponent in the Yahoo! Chess room left, leaving Hank McCoy alone. He exited the room as well and reached over to a CD rack, pulling out a CD marked EverQuest. 

{{ You've Got Mail! }} 

Hank placed the CD down on his desk and clicked on the mailbox icon. The e-mail was marked with the subject, "Henry McCoy, important information enclosed, not an advertisement." The return address was cfxprof@xavier.edu.net. 

"More college information..." Hank sighed, double clicking on the e-mail.

* * *

Subj: **Henry McCoy, important college information enclosed**  
Date: 3/2/01 6:17:48 PM Eastern Standard Time   
From: cfxprof@xavier.edu.net  
To: BigGuy2001@aol.com 

Henry Peter McCoy, 

It has recently come to my attention that you are part of the homo sapien superior species, a mutant if you will. My school, the Xavier University, will soon be up and running, and I would like you to be part of the incoming freshman class. I have some classes in place designed to teach mutants how to control their abilities. I am willing to offer you a full scholarship as well as tuition. 

Now, I understand that this offer may seem extremely awkward. To help alleviate your fears, you may look at our website (http://www.xavier.edu). 

However, there is more to this as you have no doubt guessed. I would like to schedule a conference with you to discuss these matters in full. 

Sincerely, 

Charles Francis Xavier, Professor 

* * *

Subj: **Re: Henry McCoy, important college information enclosed**  
Date: 3/2/01 5:20:07 PM Pacific Standard Time  
From: BigGuy2001@aol.com  
To: cfxprof@xavier.edu.net 

Professor Xavier, 

Your offer has intrigued me. When is the earliest that we can meet? 

-Hank McCoy. 

* * *

Subj: **Re: Henry McCoy, important college information enclosed**  
Date: 3/2/01 6:30:57 PM Eastern Standard Time   
From: cfxprof@xavier.edu.net  
To: BigGuy2001@aol.com 

Hank (is it all right if I call you Hank?), 

How does tomorrow at 5:00 sound? 

-Charles Xavier 

* * *

Subj: **Re: Henry McCoy, important college information enclosed**  
Date: 3/2/01 4:32:16 PM Pacific Standard Time  
From: BigGuy2001@aol.com  
To: cfxprof@xavier.edu.net 

Works for me. Where? 

-Hank McCoy 

* * *

John looked around the large mansion where the chopper dropped them off. 

"...whoa..." 

Logan opened a door to a parlor where a tall, bald man dressed in khakis and a polo shirt walked up to him. He was about in his 30s. 

"John Proudstar," he stated, extending his hand. "I'm Professor Charles Xavier. Welcome to the Xavier University." 

"Are you serious?" John asked. "This is a college?" 

Charles nodded. 

"With full tuition and housing." 

John folded his arms. 

"What's the catch?"


	4. Part IV: Rounding Out

* * *

Issue #4 

"DEADLY NEW WORLD"  
Part IV: Rounding Out 

_by Dino Pollard_

* * *

  
**Anchorage, Alaska.**

The snowmobile ran across the white-covered fields of Anchorage. 

He maneuvered the snowmobile excellently, a talent gained from years of practice. That kind of thing happened when you lived in a place like Alaska. However, what Scott Summers doesn't realize is that he's not alone. 

{{ We've got a lock. }} 

{{ Wait for my mark... }} 

{{ Yes sir. }} 

* * *

**Long Beach, California.**

Hank McCoy sat nervously as he looked at the clock. 

5:03. 

Where was he? Hank had spent all day looking forward to this. An interview with a prestigious school that had limited enrollment? How could he resist? 

Sure, there were other schools. But a school for mutants? A school where people wouldn't look at him odd because of his enormous hands and feet? It was almost too good to be true. 

The doorbell rang, and Hank instantly leapt from his chair, bounding to the door. He quickly opened it up to find a tall, bald man in his 30s standing there. The man was dressed very casually in a sweater and slacks. Hank felt a little embarrassed at the fact that he was dressed in dress pants, a dress shirt, and a tie. 

"Professor Xavier I presume?" Hank asked. 

"Yes," Charles replied, extending his hand. "I suppose you're Hank." 

"I am," Hank stated, eagerly shaking Charles' hand. There was a moment of silence, before Hank realized his error. "Oh, I'm sorry!! Please, come in." 

"Thank you," Charles said as he stepped inside the home. He held a briefcase in one hand. 

"Here, let's not spend all our time by the door," Hank said, leading Charles into the next room. He motioned to a chair. "Please, sit." 

Charles took a seat in the chair, with Hank sitting opposite. Charles then opened the briefcase, handing Hank some papers. 

"Here is some information about my school." 

"One thing I'm mainly interested in is your mutant training courses," Hank mentioned, rubbing his chin. 

"I thought you might be," Charles said. "As of right now, that isn't advertised as one of the school's finer points. In fact, it's not mentioned at all." 

"Why?" 

"Due to the current anti-mutant sentiment, advertising a school strictly for mutants might not be the best idea." 

Hank nodded. 

"But, make no mistake, it does exist. Mutants will learn how to fully control their powers at the University." 

"How do you handle this training?" 

"We use state-of-the-art technology which aid in training simulations, sometimes catered to individual abilities." 

"Where do you find funding for something like this?" 

"...There is something else you should know about the school, Hank..." 

"What's that?" 

"We actually serve two purposes. One is, yes, to train mutants in the use of their powers. But there is another purpose--and that is to serve the US government. You've heard about the problems overseas with the mutant calling himself Magneto, correct?" 

Hank nodded. 

"Magneto poses a possible threat to the US. And because of the ease he has dispatched troops so far, the government is forced to fight fire with fire. The President himself personally consulted me on the proper course of action. The course I chose is to launch a mutant strike force, comprised of young men and women willing to use their powers in order to protect the country. You are one of the candidates, Hank." 

Hank said nothing, just stared at Charles with wide-eyes.

* * *

**Anchorage, Alaska.**

Colonel Shiner, leader of the M-Squad, placed his hand to his ear. 

"All units, move in," he ordered. "Target is confirmed as a mutant--take him down."

* * *

Scott brought the snowmobile to a stop in front of several members of the M-Squad. 

"What's going on here?" he asked. 

The M-Squad agents drew their weapons in response. 

"Am I behind on my payments or something?" Scott asked. 

"Scott Summers, I presume?" Shiner asked, stepping forward. 

"Depends on why you want him," Scott replied. 

"I'm not sure you understand the severity of your situation, Mr. Summers," Shiner warned. 

"Actually..." Scott stated, removing his red sunglasses. Concussive bursts of energy fired from his eyes, slamming Shiner back a good 50 feet. "...I think I do understand!" 

"You're in over your head, Summers," Shiner exclaimed as he stood. "Kill him!" 

Before the rest of the M-Squad could fire, there was a blinding light. 

"DAMMIT!!" Shiner exclaimed. "SWITCH TO INFRARED NOW!!! FIND THOSE MUTANTS!!"

* * *

Scott ran as fast as he could to try and get away from the agents. As he ran, he tried to figure out why the government would want him dead. Sure, he was a bit sarcastic, but isn't everyone? 

"Stay right where you are, mutie!" Special Agent Young ordered. 

*SNIKT* 

"...What the f--" Young began. 

"Think yer tough, eh boy?" 

"What's going on?" Scott asked, his hand moving up to his sunglasses once more. 

"DIE MUTANTS!!" Young shouted, beginning to fire into nothing. 

"Missed me, bub." 

Retaliation came as Logan dived out from the trees, his claws slicing into Young. The agent went down with one hit. 

Logan stood upright, and faced Scott, claws bared. 

*SNAKT* 

The claws slid back into his forearms like that. Scott watched as the holes in Logan's hands also closed up. 

"Nice hardware," Scott noted. "Must come in handy when you lose a steak knife." 

"Cute," Logan replied.

* * *

Jackson tried to spot anything with the infrared goggles he wore. The light had diminished, but that didn't mean that the mutants were gone. Besides, if he kept the goggles on, he didn't have to worry about being blinded again. 

Suddenly, his sensors went off. He spun around to see a single heat signature. He deactivated the infrared to see Alison Blaire standing before him. 

"You just made your last mistake, babe," Jackson stated, lifting up his gun. "Give my regards to Satan, mutant scum!!" 

Before he pulled the trigger, he heard something. 

*GRRRRRRRRRR* 

The sensors went off again, indicating an unknown mutant presence. And a volatile one at that. 

*GRRRRRRRRRR* 

Something large slammed into Jackson, knocking the gun to the side. Jackson cried out as he was pulled into the bushes. Ali wasn't sure whether she should try and save the man who tried to kill her twice,* or if she should just forget about it. 

(* The first time? Back in issue #2--Dino) 

Her choice was the obvious one as she turned away from the site.

* * *

"Hold up..." 

Logan held his hand up, to keep Scott where he was. 

"What's going on?" Scott asked. 

*SNIFF* 

*SNIFF* 

"Are you... sniffing...?" 

*SNIKT* 

"Not here... not him..." 

"What are you talking about?" Scott asked. 

Logan sniffed the air again, but whatever he smelled before was gone. Now, he smelled only blood. 

"Stay close..." he ordered as he moved through the snow to a patch of bushes. Brushing past them, he found the dead body of Jackson. It was mauled virtually beyond recognition. As if some sort of wild animal had gotten hold of the M-Squad operative. 

"Damn..." Scott muttered. 

"Ali...?" Logan asked, putting a hand to his ear. 

{{ I'm waiting back at the transport, Logan. But, you won't believe what I saw. }} 

"I think I can guess. Where's John?" 

{{ You mean he's not with you? }} 

"Shit..."

* * *

John Proudstar never imagined his life like this. 

He had always planned to use his superhuman speed and strength as a professional athlete. After all, when you're as strong as an ox and as fast as a cheetah, what would you be better at besides playing pro football? He even had athletic scholarships to dozens of schools. 

That was before he found out he was a mutant. Before he accidentally killed a man. Before he was on the run from the law. * 

(* Last issue--Dino) 

And now, he finds himself trying to face off against professional mutant hunters. He's a mutant who hasn't been through any training, and now he has to try and take out professional mutant hunters. 

He was about to move in. So far, the agent hadn't noticed him. Maybe this superhero stuff wasn't as hard as it see--" 

*CHK* 

"Get up." 

Then again... maybe John was just overconfident. 

"Hands above your head." 

He considered shouting out to Logan for help. But, he knew the moment he opened his mouth, the agent would open fire. Yet, how long would he last if he kept quiet? These guys were hired for the express purpose of exterminating mutants. He had already heard that they tried to kill Ali once. 

Well, it seemed that John Proudstar was stuck between a rock and a hard place. And the situation only got worse as the agent he was about to attack came towards them as well. 

He was just beginning to pray when out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the gun was shaking. And here, he thought that these guys were supposed to be professionals. 

If John could see past the masks that the M-Squad agents wore, he would see that their faces were overcome with shock. 

The guns pulled out of their hands and spun around. Then, the triggers slowly moved back. 

*PFFT* 

*PFFT* 

Two silent shots. And it was over. The operatives were lying on the ground, dead. 

"These are our oppressors." 

John looked up to see the image of a man in dark leather. He wore a leather cape, which had a purple tint to it, as well as a helmet with a similar tint. 

"Look at them--they are the weak, yet they oppose us. We are the strong, yet we hide. Why is it that the strong are the oppressed, and the weak are the rulers?" 

John said nothing, just watched in awe at the man floating before him. 

"Think about it." 

With that, the man flew off, leaving John Proudstar to consider his words.

* * *

**Long Island, New York.**

Charles admired the garden of Nancy Grey. The wife of his former college professor certainly took pride in her work. 

But, it wasn't Nancy's garden that Charles came here to see. Nor was it simply to shoot the breeze with Professor Grey. Rather, it was to speak with their 19-year-old daughter, Jean. 

When Jean was 12, her telepathic powers first emerged. In order to help her cope with them, Professor Grey contacted Charles. He taught her how to deal with her powers the best he could. The pair struck a bond after that, a bond which they have shared through e-mails over the years. 

_"You still haven't chosen a college yet, have you?" _

_"I'm still thinking about my options, that's all..." _

_"You've been out of high school for a year, though." _

_"I'd say I appreciate your concern Charles, but there's no sense in lying to someone who can read my mind, is there?" _

_"I've spoken to your parents about this--" _

_"My parents don't have any control over my decision." _

_"True, but your father is an old friend of mine." _

_"An old friend that you call Professor Grey?" _

_"Very funny. But, we've known each other for a long time, Jean. You know I wouldn't want you to do something you weren't comfortable with." _

_"I understand, Charlie. And that's why I'm going to attend your school. After all, if I'm going to have these powers, I might as well do something with them. And a government job sounds like it's got plenty of benefits." _

_"I was hoping you might say that."_


	5. Part V: Eye of the Storm

* * *

Issue #5 

"DEADLY NEW WORLD"  
Part V: Eye of the Storm 

_by Dino Pollard_

* * *

  
****

**Westchester, New York. The Xavier University, specifically.**

To all passerbys, this is just a newly-found college. The dean, and one of the professors of psychology, is Charles Xavier. At 35, he is still a relatively young man. 

Today, he stands before these seven mutants, his students. Students who will work under the indirect influence of the government, with close ties to SHIELD. They are Project: X-Men. 

"Well, I see you all have gotten a chance to know each other," Charles stated, breaking the team's conversations. Logan stood beside him. "In that case, I think the time has come for us to locate our eighth and final member." 

"Why isn't he here yet?" John asked, looking around. 

"Because she is coming via train from LA," Charles replied. "Cerebro has detected a strong, mutant presence on that train. With the aid of my own telepathic powers, I was able to discern that she is Ororo Munroe." 

"Thanks t' SHIELD's access to all sorts o' government files, we found out that she's a thief o' th' highest order. Her last run-in with th' law was at a rave in LA, where she controlled the weather. After bein' hospitalized for a gunshot wound, she escaped with the aid of her 'lawyer,' a man whose real identity hasn't been discovered yet." 

"She can be very dangerous," Charles stated. "But, she's still a young woman, just like the rest of you. It's my hope that you can try and talk to her." 

"Wait a sec..." Scott stated. "What do you mean it's your hope that WE can try and talk to her? Aren't you coming?" 

"Normally, I would," Charles replied. "But, I have a... previous engagement." 

"So you want us to do your dirty work for you..." Scott muttered under his breath. 

"If I didn't have a meeting to keep, I wouldn't have you do this," Charles replied. "But, this meeting is very important. Just trust me on this." 

"You want us to trust you when we don't even know you?" John asked. "I'm with Scott." 

"Quiet. Both of you." 

They both looked in Monet's direction. She had stayed quiet throughout most of the introductions. This was the first any of them had heard her speak. 

"All we have to do is talk to someone," Monet continued. "No need to make a big deal out of it." 

"I think that... um... Monet, has a point," Hank noted. "It won't do us any good to squabble over this." 

"Listen up, babe," John began. "I don't enjoy being ordered around by prissy, little stuck-up bitches like you." 

"The big, bad football player picking on a poor, innocent girl?" Jean asked. "Why is it all you jocks have to have some kind of macho attitude? It's almost as if you're trying to compensate for something..." 

Ali and Hank stifled a laugh, while a grin simply appeared on Monet's face. 

"You think I'm gonna let you talk to me like that?!" John exclaimed. 

"Oooooh... did I strike a nerve?" 

*SNIKT* 

They all stopped at that sound. 

"All of you, shut up," Logan ordered. "We've got a job to do, and we're gonna do it right." 

He lifted up his claws as he finished his sentence. 

"If there are any objections, they can be taken to the complaint department," he continued, waving his claws. 

The rest of the team grew silent. 

"That's what I thought," he stated. "Now get in the van." 

*SNAKT* 

* * *

**A train currently heading across the country.**

Ororo Munroe looked down at the cell phone Remy gave her. His number was on the screen, and she was debating over whether she should press CALL or not. She didn't want to contact him unless it was absolutely necessary, but she felt the need to. She just wanted to talk to someone she could trust, and Remy was the only person who fell into that category. 

She turned off the phone and stuffed it back into her pocket. Then she leaned back in the chair and sighed. And she wondered if anything in her life would ever go right. 

* * *

**Washington, DC.**

"I can't believe your incompetence, Shiner!! You lost not one, but TWO mutants so far!! And now they're with Xavier!!" 

"The first time, the SHIELD agent interfered with us, sir," Shiner replied. "And in Anchorage, there were three mutants protecting Summers, among them was the SHIELD agent." 

"This mutant situation is exploding out of control. We can't have these freaks running around." 

"We have a lock on another target, sir," Shiner stated. "A mutant who tried to oppose LA police last week. She can control the weather. She escaped from police custody, and is now on the run. Witnesses say that she boarded a train headed for New York." 

"Then I want the M-Squad to intercept her." 

"Yes, sir." 

Shiner saluted then walked out of the room. 

"If the President thinks he can control these mutants by making deals with them, he's going to discover he's sorely mistaken..." 

* * *

**Central Park - three years earlier**

The white knight took out the black rook. 

"Good move," Charles said. His black bishop then pushed the white knight out of the way. 

The silver-haired man who sat before him was dressed in a white business suit. 

"We don't get together as often as we used to, Charles," the man stated. 

"Whose fault is that, Erik?" Charles asked. 

"Tell me, Charles. Do you remember the last thing I said to you?" 

"'It doesn't matter if we live in the land of the free and the home of the brave, or if we fight by their side. No matter what we do, humanity will never accept us.'" 

"And tell me, in those six years, have I been proven right?" 

"I can't answer that question, Erik. Not yet, anyway. It takes more than a few years for mutants to be accepted. Even today, minorities which have been officially accepted are still persecuted. It's a price we have to pay for acceptance." 

"Need I remind you of what my father went through in Germany? Need I remind you of the discrimination my family faced upon arriving in this country? So, you beg and grovel, and they throw you a few scraps of food - just before they spit on you. Is that what you call acceptance?" 

"That won't happen. But terrorism isn't the answer. Violence will only prove that the people who fear us are right. You're only making things worse for us, Erik." 

"You're an idiot, Charles. An idealistic fool." 

"Do you really think so, Erik?" Charles asked, as he moved the black queen in front of the white king. "Check." 

He then stood and began to walk out of the park. 

Erik Lehnsherr just looked down at the chessboard. 

* * *

**Grand Central Station.**

Ororo stepped off the train slowly, suitcase in hand. She began to walk towards the exit of the station. As she did, three men dressed in black walked towards her. Leading them was Shiner. She noticed one of them concealed a gun. 

She turned the other direction and slowly began to quicken her pace. They followed suit. 

Three more came from the opposite direction. She turned to the side to see three more. 

"Just great..." she muttered. 

"Ororo Munroe," Shiner stated. "You're under arrest fo--" 

*CRASH* 

The M-Squad's attention instantly diverted from Ororo to the sound of breaking glass. Seven young men and women stood there, wearing similar leather jackets with X symbols on the shoulders. 

"Take them out!!" Shiner ordered. The operatives drew their guns and began to open fire. 

"SCATTER!!!" Logan ordered, as he popped his claws. The X-Men followed his orders, but he knew that this would be a new experience for them. They weren't trained, and they were going to go up against mutant hunters. 

"FREEZE!!!" 

The agent was cut off as he was suddenly thrown back a good twenty feet, courtesy of Jean Grey. 

Scott Summers lifted up his ruby sunglasses, firing concussive blasts into another agent, while Alison Blaire fired concentrated blasts of light. 

John Proudstar and Hank McCoy rushed their oppressors, relying on brute strength. Monet St. Croix, however, took to the air, hovering there. 

"TAKE HER DOWN!!" 

The operatives opened fire on her, yet none of the bullets seemed to hit the mark. Almost as if something was intentionally causing them to miss. Then, she dropped from the sky, easily disarming them with her superior strength. 

Logan began to lash out with adamantium claws, impaling several of the operatives. Before the team could finish the job, the sound of thunder was heard. 

Without warning, lightning suddenly struck the remaining operatives. And hovering not far away was Ororo, the wind whipping around her, her body charged with electricity, her eyes completely white. 

Once the last agent fell, everything slowly became calm, and Ororo lowered herself to the ground, where Logan was waiting. 

"Nice job," he stated, sheathing his claws. 

"Watch your step or you'll be next," Ororo warned, her pupils beginning to fade once more. 

"Relax," Logan stated. "We're both on th' same side. But maybe we should go talk about this somewhere else before th' media shows up." 

* * *

**The Xavier University. Later.**

Sixteen leather-clad feet moved across the grounds, standing in a large, metal room. In the center of it stood Charles Xavier. 

He looked at the eight men and women assembled. Each of them wore leather uniforms, and each uniform had an X symbol on it. 

"You all look magnificent," Charles stated, a wide grin on his face. 

"We look like rejects from The Matrix," Ororo noted. 

"Laugh all you want, Ororo," Charles said. "But the uniforms will offer you at least some protection. Unless you'd prefer to go into battle with spandex on. I think now would be a good time to give you the code-names you'll be using. 

"Logan, Wolverine. 

"Scott Summers, Cyclops. 

"Hank McCoy, Beast. 

"Ororo Munroe, Storm. 

"John Proudstar, Thunderbird. 

"Jean Grey, Psyche. 

"Alison Blaire, Dazzler. 

"Monet St. Croix, M. 

"To me, my X-Men." 

* * *

An undetermined location, where one man sits before a chess set. 

The white queen moves seemingly by itself in front of the black king. 

"Checkmate, old _friend_." 


	6. Part VI: Destruction

* * *

Issue #6 

"DEADLY NEW WORLD"  
Part VI: Destruction 

_by Dino Pollard_

* * *

  
****

When I was a boy, my father would tell me stories about his time in a Nazi concentration camp. Of his entire family, he was the sole survivor. And why? Simply because he was Jewish. 

All my life, those stories have influenced me. The Nazis who killed my father's family weren't finished. He was beaten to death when I was 10. By the Ku Klux Klan. 

When I was 14, I discovered I was able to control metal paperclips. As time went on, this ability grew to include keys, watches, rings, coins, nearly anything metal. I continued to develop my abilities. 

At 37 years of age, I've mastered them. 

And now, the time has come for my people to suffer no more prejudice. 

* * *

The Xavier University. Westchester. 

{{ Dazzler, I want a full blast to override th' visual receptors!! Thunderbird! Beast! M! Get ready t' move in physically!! Psyche, Cyclops, I want you to try an' take 'em out from a distance! Storm, cover their backs! }} 

"You seem to be very good at this, Logan," Charles noted. 

"What can I say, Chuck," Logan stated. "Ya been fightin' as long as I have, y' pick up a few things. What I'm wonderin' is when is Washington gonna give us an assigment." 

"I spoke to Dr. Cooper this morning," Charles replied. "She said that we should just continue with the training, and that they'll be in touch." 

"It's been three weeks, now..." Logan muttered. "Startin' t' get antsy waitin' f'r Magneto t' make a move..." 

"The President has had his hands full with this current incident involving China and the spy plane. It couldn't have come at a worse time for either them or America." 

"So... what? We just keep trainin' then?" 

"That's all we can do, Logan..." 

* * *

Manhattan. Specifically the Lincoln Tunnel. 

The Lincoln Tunnel runs underneath the Hudson River, connecting Manhattan to Weehawken, New Jersey. Around ninety-seven feet of water sit on top of the tunnel. It's a route many people use every day. Yet, no one ever stops to think about what might happen if the tunnel were to collapse. It's something commuters think of as impossible. It's the busiest vehicular tunnel in the world, after all. If it was dangerous, it wouldn't be permitted. 

The man dressed in a leather costume, complete with a purple-tinted helmet and cape, thought otherwise. He saw it as the perfect opportunity to show mankind that he was serious. 

He hovered above the tunnel and closed his eyes. His hands moved about, and as they did, they seemed to move faster. And faster. His eyes began to glow as steel girders shot up from the tunnel, cracking the material which protected the commuters. 

The Hudson River was eager to replace it, though. Within moments, the entire tunnel was flooded, and the man smiled at the knowledge that these humans were praying for their lives to be spared as the water took away their lives. 

How ironic, that the very element that brings life, is now causing horrible deaths. 

He turned his attention to the George Washington Bridge. Concentrating hard, he watched as the support structures collapsed. Cars plummeted into the Hudson as well to join their brothers in a watery grave. 

Magneto has arrived in New York. 

* * *

The White House. Washington, DC. 

{{ ...Millions dead... }} 

{{ ...The bridge collapsed into the Hudson... }} 

{{ ...Tunnel completely destroyed... }} 

{{ ...Believed to be Magneto's opening salvo on America... }} 

President George W. Bush sighed as he listened to the reports of the incident in Manhattan. 

"This is the work of a monster..." 

"We've waited too long, sir," Dr. Valerie Cooper stated. 

"I know," Bush replied. "Contact Colonel Fury, have him dispatch SHIELD to help in the rescue effort. And get me Xavier." 

* * *

The Xavier University. The office of Professor Xavier. 

"Yes, I've just seen it..." Charles replied over the phone. "We won't hesitate a moment, sir. This is what the X-Men were founded for, and we'll be there." 

He hung up the phone and hit pause on the remote. The image of Magneto's footage from China appeared. 

"Erik... what have you done...?" 

* * *

The hangar. A few minutes later. 

Charles stood in front of the X-Men, wearing a leather jacket with X symbols on it. 

"Magneto has made his first move... and it's a grisly one," he stated. "It's up to the X-Men to put a stop to him. Wolverine will be the field commander." 

"What about you?" Hank asked. 

"Someone needs to pilot the jet," Charles replied. 

"Jet?" John asked. "What je--" 

Thunderbird was cut off as the hangar doors opened. Inside was a large military plane. 

"X-Men, say hello to the Blackbird." 

* * *

Times Square. 

Magneto's path of destruction continued. And now, in the center of Times Square, he concentrated. The large monitors that Times Square was famous for suddenly imploded, sending shards of shrapnel flying. He magnetically overturned cars, tossing them about. 

Mankind would learn to fear his wrath. 

* * *

The Blackbird whistled through the air, and the cloaking shield was dropped. The large jet suddenly became visible, and Charles Xavier was the pilot. 

"Get ready to move!" he shouted. 

"Remember th' plan!!" Wolverine shouted to the rest of the team over the roar of the air whipping about them. The emergency exit hatch was opened. "Those who can fly, help those who can't!! Psyche, your TK's gonna come in REAL handy here, so use it!! Storm, see if ya can try an' get Magneto's attention away from destroyin' something else. As f'r the rest of you, hit 'em long, an' hit 'em hard!!" 

He pulled the collar of his jacket up and looked down at the emptiness. 

"Awright... GO!!!" 

Storm was the first one out, her winds steadying her as she fell. She maneuvered herself away from the jet, unleashing chain lightning at Magneto, trying to get his attention. 

"Just great..." she muttered. "It worked... now he's pissed..." 

* * *

"Go!" 

Thunderbird was the next one out, followed by M. The young woman grabbed hold of his arms and pulled him towards Magneto. Summoning all her strength, M hurled the Native American mutant towards their foe. 

* * *

"Go!" 

Cyclops, Beast, and Dazzler dropped next, followed by Wolverine. The four X-Men plummeted in freefall, until something stopped them. 

Psyche hovered there, and slowly lowered each of them to the ground. 

"WE'RE OUT, CHUCK!!" Wolverine exclaimed into his headset. "GET YER ASS OUTTA TH' CROSSFIRE!!" 

The Blackbird rose and rocketed off, leaving the X-Men alone to handle the battle. 

* * *

Storm's attack had caught Magneto off-guard, but he was prepared for anything else. Case in point--Thunderbird. Magneto used his power to latch onto the metal in the mutant's bloodstream. Then, he magnetically slammed him into the ground. 

"THUNDERBIRD!!" Psyche exclaimed. 

"I'm alright..." Thunderbird weakly muttered, slowly getting to his feet. 

"Foolish child," Magneto stated. "Why do you wish to protect our oppressors?" 

"Well, ya gotta do something until Dark Angel comes on," Cyclops replied. He pressed a button on the side of his visor, firing an optic blast at the Master of Magnetism. However, it struck some sort of invisible forcefield before it even reached Magneto. 

"Don't you realize that you have no prayer of stopping me?" Magneto asked. "With but a thought, I can shut down the bloodflow of iron to your brains. I can magnetically hurl you into the center of the Earth's core. If it involves magnetism, then I am the master!!" 

"God, will someone shut him up already?" Storm asked, unleashing a chain lightning attack. "He sounds like some Saturday morning cartoon villain!" 

"Even though this is the only real supervillain I've ever met, I thought they were supposed to sound like that," Beast stated, as he began scaling a building. Once he was high enough, he leapt forward, hoping to surprise Magneto. However, Magneto simply repelled him, sending Hank McCoy into a building. 

"You all right, Beast?" Storm asked. 

"Yeah..." Beast replied. "It only hurts when I... ow..." 

"Enough babblin'!!" Wolverine exclaimed. "Psyche, just like we played it out in th' Danger Room!!" 

Coiling his legs, Wolverine propelled himself into the air. Jean Grey gave him a telekinetic shove, increasing his speed towards their foe. 

*SNIKT* 

While the Beast's attack didn't catch Magneto by surprise, Wolverine's adamantium claws did. 

"ARGH!!!" Magneto screamed, slamming Logan into the pavement. "GET AWAY, TRAITOR!!" 

"Shit this is bad..." Psyche muttered. 

"Oh really, y'think?" Cyclops asked, trying to help Thunderbird up. "We've got Wolverine and Beast down for the count, and T-Bird isn't exactly in the best shape..." 

"I'm fine..." Wolverine muttered from his spot in the pavement. 

"How are we gonna do this without Wolverine's help?" Dazzler asked just as Storm and M landed beside them. 

"We need to think up a battle plan," M replied. "He's too powerful for one-on-one battle. We need to use teamwork." 

* * *

{{ Tell me you know what you're doing, Xavier!! }} 

"Trust me on this, Colonel," Charles replied. "These students have been well-trained." 

{{ Well it looks like your well-trained students are getting their asses handed to 'em!! }} 

"Just give it a bit more time..." Charles stated. 

{{ Awright, fifteen minutes. Then we go ahead with an airstrike. }} 

"With metal planes, Colonel? Are you out of your mind?" 

{{ Hopefully we won't have to use them. Not if yer kids do what they're supposed to do. }} 

Charles deactivated the comm-link and sighed. He opened a different channel. 

"Wolverine? Wolverine?" 

{{ Wolverine's out right now, Professor. }} 

"Monet?!" 

{{ Don't worry, we've got things under control. }} 

"Let me try to talk to Magneto, M." 

{{ I'm sorry sir, but I think the time for talk has passed. Just let us handle this. }} 

* * *

"It's not my intention to destroy harbingers of our future," Magneto stated, hovering above the X-Men. "I'm actually surprised Charles had the gall to send children after me." 

Metal objects began to rise, hovering about him. 

"Regardless... if you're not part of the solution, then you're part of the problem." 

"Oh, shut up!" Storm exclaimed, unleashing a chain lightning attack. Magneto acted as if it had no effect on him. 

"COVER!!" Dazzler shouted, unleashing a massive light blast. The X-Men shielded their eyes. Magneto was momentarily blinded, though. 

The attack left him seeing white. His vision came back into focus just as M's fist connected with his jaw. 

"CYCLOPS!!" she commanded, flying back. Cyclops unleashed a massive optic blast, causing Magneto to reel. 

Dazzler followed it up, firing several hard-light blasts at Magneto, with Psyche backing her up with a TK attack. 

To top it all off, Storm whipped up gale force winds, slamming Magneto deep into the ground. 

"Is he dead yet?" Cyclops asked. 

"Doubt it..." Wolverine muttered, coming up beside Cyclops. He moved closer, then stopped. "Oh shit..." 

"What's wrong?" Dazzler asked. 

"I can't move." 

Magneto's eyes snapped open as some invisible barrier forced the team back. He slowly hovered out of the small crater, his eyes glowing brightly. 

"Can someone explain to me why he can still move?" Psyche asked. 

"A forcefield of some sort..." M noted. "That's all I can figure out..." 

_"X-Men, stand down!!"_

"What the fuck?!" Cyclops exclaimed. 

"It's Chuck," Wolverine noted, looking up as the Blackbird streaked by. "Guess he finally decided t' join th' party..." 

* * *

_"Erik!"_

"Charles...?" 

_"You have to stop this now. Don't make me hurt you, Erik."_

"I'm sorry, Charles. But you should know more than anyone that the time for talk is done." 

_"We can work with the humans. We don't have to be enemies."_

"Always the peacemaker, eh?" Magneto stated with a slight chuckle. "Wake up, Xavier. The humans will never accept us. Right now, I imagine that the government is planning a counter-strike against the entire mutant population. I won't let that happen." 

_"And I won't let you do this."_

Magneto suddenly began to convulse, as if he were going into a seizure. His powers began to turn against him. 

"What the hell is he doing?" Thunderbird asked. 

"Saving our asses," M replied with a grin. Psyche simply smiled, as if they sensed what was happening. 

"Did I miss something?" Thunderbird asked, looking at Cyclops. Scott Summers simply shrugged. 

* * *

_"Do you know what's happening, Erik?"_

"Get out... of my mind..." 

_"Gladly... once you stand down."_

"N-never..." 

_"Then I'm sorry, Erik. You know I don't enjoy doing this."_

Magneto forced himself not to cry out in pain as synapses in his brain exploded, despite the intense pain it caused. 

"IF I GO DOWN XAVIER, I'M TAKING YOU WITH ME!!" 

Using the last ounce of strength he had, Magneto took control of the Blackbird. He began to crush the hull as if it were paper. He hurled it towards the ground at an incredible speed. 

"NO!!" Psyche exclaimed, using her telekinetic abilities to try and keep the plane aloft. All she was able to do was cushion the fall, though. 

Magneto, however, lost consciousness after the last attack. He began to fall towards the ground. The only thing that prevented him from leaving a stain in the middle of Times Square was the sudden stop provided by M. 

"Did we win?" Cyclops asked. 

"Maybe," Wolverine replied. "What's th' status?" 

"Magneto's still alive," Psyche stated. "I can detect a thought pattern, he's just down for the count." 

"What about Xavier?" Wolverine asked. 

"I--I can sense a thought pattern from inside the wreckage..." Psyche replied. "I think he's alive..." 

"Get that shit offa him, then!" Wolverine ordered, pointing to what was once the Blackbird. The students did what they could, tossing aside what was left of the Blackbird. 

"Over here!" Storm stated. "I think I found him!" 

Thunderbird ran to her side and pulled some metal off. Sure enough, Xavier was there. A bit worse for wear, but he was alive. 

* * *

The White House. Washington, DC. One week later. 

"The terror in New York was unavoidable," Bush stated. "The death toll caused by Magneto's attack is staggering--but I suppose that we should be grateful that he was stopped before anything else could happen." 

Fury leaned against the wall, a cigar dangling from his mouth. Dr. Cooper sat in a chair in front of Bush's desk. Xavier, however, sat in a wheelchair. 

"What's the current status on Magneto, anyway?" Bush asked. 

"His house doesn't have much of an attic anymore," Fury replied. 

"Pardon...?" 

"It was a very powerful psychic attack, sir," Charles stated. "A last resort more than anything else. I detonated some of the synapses in his brain." 

"Well, whatever you did, it put him in a coma," Val said. "According to all scans, Magneto is harmless right now. The question now is, what do we do with him?" 

"The public will want blood after what he's done," Fury noted. "Can't say I blame 'em." 

"I'd rather you didn't, Mr. President," Charles said. "I believe that Magneto's ideals were good, but his methods weren't. And with him currently in a coma, it wouldn't be the time or place for an execution." 

"The man caused hundreds, probably thousands, of deaths," Fury stated. "An' you wanna keep him alive?" 

"I know how the public feels towards Magneto, because I feel the same way. It's because of him that I'm confined to this chair. The doctors say I'll never walk again. But, executing Magneto isn't the answer." 

"I don't like this..." Bush muttered. "This isn't a good situation." 

"I have to side with Professor Xavier on this," Val chimed in. "I don't think an execution is the greatest idea. The last thing we need is other mutants like Magneto reacting harshly to his execution." 

The President sighed. 

"You win, Charles--for now. In the meantime, I want you and the X-Men to lay low. We'll be in touch." 

"Of course," Charles stated, shaking Bush's hand. 

* * *

Elsewhere in DC. 

Shiner watched as the new agents ran through the training exercises. 

"Magneto's attack is exactly the event we needed. The public will be much more anti-mutant, now. This will put pressure on that sniveling worm of a President." 

"Good," Shiner stated. "But the M-Squad--" 

"The M-Squad will be given better weapons, Agent Shiner." 

"Thank you, sir," Shiner said. 

"You're dismissed." 

Shiner saluted then headed towards the door. 

"Oh, and Shiner...?" 

"Yes sir?" 

"Just thought I'd let you know," the man began. "The name's Gyrich." 

"Thank you, Mr. Gyrich," Shiner stated, walking out the door. 

Gyrich continued to watch the new recruits. 

"Fucking muties..." he muttered. "You won't last much longer. Not on my watch." 


End file.
